Cho La (Sichuan) Explained

Cho La
Map:China
Location:Sichuan near border with Tibet in China
Range:Chola Mountains
Coordinates:31.4486°N 98.9239°W

Cho La, also transliterated as Tro La, is a mountain pass across the Chola Mountains in Dege County, Garze Prefecture, Sichuan, China. In Mandarin Chinese, it is known as Qu'er Pass . The pass reaches a height of and may be snow covered year-round. The pass is an important link between the town of Derge and the rest of Sichuan Province. Historically, it was part of a trade route between Tibet and China through the Kingdom of Derge in Kham.[1] The western flank of the pass is drained by the Zhil Chu and the eastern flank is drained by the Tro Chu . Yihun Lhatso, a glacial-fed lake, is located to the east of the pass.[2]

A tunnel constructed under the Chola Mountains now bypasses the mountain pass and is the world's highest vehicular tunnel.[3] Construction of the tunnel was completed in 2016.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Book: McCue, Gary . 2010 . Trekking Tibet: A Traveler's Guide . Seattle, WA . The Mountaineer's Books . 9781594852664 .
  2. Book: . China's Southwest . Lonely Planet . 2007 . 9781741041859.
  3. News: Zhang . Xiang . June 1, 2011 . World's highest highway tunnel to make "hellish" road less deadly . https://web.archive.org/web/20110603195634/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/china/2011-06/01/c_13905545.htm . dead . June 3, 2011 . Xinhua News . March 17, 2017 .
  4. News: Tibet less remote as world's highest road tunnel opens. 21 July 2017. People. Xinhua. 10 November 2016.